The present invention relates to an electrical connector having terminals made of a sheet metal. Specifically, the present invention relates to an electrical connector having terminals, in which each of the terminals has a contact section formed as a flat sheet surface and a contact section contacting with a mating terminal while the contact section slides against the mating terminal.
A convention electrical connector has been disclosed in Patent Reference. The convention electrical connector disclosed in Patent Reference has a fitting section that enters and fits into a mating fitting hole of a mating connector, and a lid to cover the mating connector after the fitting section fits into the mating fitting hole of the mating connector.    Patent Reference: Japanese Patent Publication No. 05-217641
In the convention electrical connector, each of terminals has a contact section with a flat plate shape that enters a groove section with a Y-character shape of a mating contact section of a mating terminal in a direction parallel to a plate surface thereof. Once the flat contact section enters the groove section of the mating contact section, the groove section elastically deforms to increase a groove width thereof. Accordingly, the groove section contacts with the contact section with a contact force obtained through an elastic force thereof.
In the convention electrical connector disclosed in Patent Reference, when the connector receives an unexpected force in a pulling-out direction, the contact section of the terminal receives the force only through a frictional force between the contact section and the mating contact section.
Accordingly, when the force in the pulling-out direction exceeds the frictional force, a contact position between the contact section and the mating contact section may displace. Accordingly, connection between the contact section and the mating contact section may become poor, and further the mating contact section may be separated from the contact section.
In view of the above problems, an object of the invention is to provide an electrical connector capable of solving the problems of the conventional electrical connector. In the present invention, even when an unexpected force is applied to the electrical connector in a pulling-out direction, it is possible to counter the force with a greater force. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent a contact section of a terminal from displacing from a mating contact section and the mating contact section from pulling-out.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.